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A quick look at gear to keep your video on the level

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Davis & Sanford ATP With FM18 Head

The beauty of HD video is that it’s incredibly crisp and detailed—and that’s also its difficulty. Even a small amount of camera shake can be hard to watch for very long. If you’re getting into video with one of the latest HD camcorders or an SLR that offers HD capture, you want to give your camera proper support.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO
For the steadiest video, combine a sturdy tripod with a fluid head. A fluid head, as the name implies, is ideal for stabilizing hand-controlled camera movements such as panning, tracking and tilting. The Gitzo G2180 fluid head, for instance, uses a specialized polymer construction for dampening vibration and reducing camera shake. There are separate friction and pan controls for finely tuned tracking ability, and the counterbalance system works in seven different positions and can offset up to 5.5 pounds of weight, perfect for a video D-SLR with lens attached. List Price: $250.

Gitzo G2180 Fluid Head

Ideal for both video and still shooting on location, the Davis & Sanford All Terrain Pod with FM18 video head features weather-resistant aluminum and stainless-steel construction, in addition to two-section legs that are self-cleaning. The rectangular, closed-channel design works well on unstable ground, and the freeze-proof vice-action leg locks, pivoting flat/pointed feet and self-locking gear mechanism provide precise “No-Drift” elevation adjustment and secure footing. The removable three-way video head is quick-release for following the action. The All Terrain Pod with FM18 head can carry a weight load of 35 pounds (tripod) and 18 pounds (head), more than enough for a video D-SLR. List Price: $244.

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